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“No, Marco. ”
“Then that’s settled. I’ll go talk to the doctor and then get someoneto help move you. ” He turned on his heel and left them alone together, with an awkward silence between them. Evan knew Marco was trying to help, but help what, he wondered. Brett was so cold and distant. His mind seemed to be a thousand miles away as Evan sat waiting beside him. Evan wondered what he’d been doing the past week he’d spent away from him. Maybe it had been a relief not to have to be with his mate—a human mate, that he’d never wanted in the first place because humans were too wild and unpredictable. Wasn’t that what he’d said?
When the silence between them went from awkward to excruciating Brett finally spoke. Not looking directly at Evan, he said, “If you don’t want to do this, don’t feel you have to. I can talk to Marco and probably get you out of it. ”
“No, that’s okay. I don’t mind. I mean, I want to help you, Brett. I’d much rather have you at home than in some jail cell after all you’ve been through. ”
Brett glanced up at him for the first time, his eyes dark and sad. “I really fucked things up between us, Evan, and I want to tell you how sorry I am. ”
“Okay,” Evan said, surprised at the depth of hurt he saw in Brett’s eyes.
“No, it’s not okay, but I want you to know I tried to make things right. When I first left here, before I ran into those damn Hunters, I tried to figure out what I could do to give you back your old life. The fact is, you have to feed for the rest of your life, and there’s not anything I can do about that, unless the doctors really do come up with an antidote or a synthetic substitute. Until then, I promise I’ll always make myself available to give you what you need—you have my promise on that. ”
“I-uh. . . ” Evan was at a loss for words. Brett was talking like he was going to leave again. Did he hate him so much he couldn’t wait to get away from him again? It sure sounded like he was giving him his freedom—a freedom Evan didn’t want.
“I found Eric for you. ”
“You did what?”
Brett looked up at him almost shyly. “I said I found Eric for you. Hehadn’t gone yet to be a Hunter, so I told him to stay away. I told him exactly what they would do to him, and he—he thanked me, and said he wouldn’t go anywhere near that place. ”
“Oh,” Evan said softly. “Brett, that was very kind of you to do that. I—”
“I told him you were free now, and he said he still wants you back. ”
Evan sat very still. “I’m sorry, say that again. ”
“He’s waiting for you, baby, I mean, Evan, and I told him I’d bring you to him. Of course, that was a few weeks ago, but I’m sure he’d still do it. He-he seemed like a pretty nice guy, Evan. It could be just the same for you. Well, almost the same. It’s the best I can do to fix things, you know? To get things back to the way they were. Just as soon as these two weeks are up, I can help you pack up,and we can get started back down the mountain. ”
“Oh really? Can’t wait to get rid of me, huh?”
“No, I didn’t mean that. What’s the matter, baby—I mean, Evan? Why are you looking at me like that?”
“Why are you just now telling me all this, Brett? I sat here with you almost every day the first week until you made it plain you didn’t want me here anymore. You never once mentioned any of this. ”
Brett looked confused. “Well, I don’t know, Evan. My mind has been kind of mixed up, you know, and I just remembered some of this. And I don’t know why you thought I didn’t want you here. Inever said that. ”
“No, you didn’t say much of anything, actually. Just turned your face to the wall most days and ignored me. ”
Brett looked embarrassed. “I didn’t mean to give you that impression. All I could remember at first was that last time I talked to you was when you told me. . . you told me you didn’t want to be with me and that you rejected me as your mate. I figured you were coming to see me to be nice. ”
“I’m not an object that you and Eric can pass back and forth between you, Brett. ”
Brett looked amazed. “I know that, honey. I didn’t mean it that way. ”
“And I never told you I was rejecting you as my mate. I told you I hadn’t made up my mind yet. You’re tired of me, so you’re taking me back to where you found me like some puppy you don’t want anymore. ”
“No!” Brett cried. “That’s not it at all! I was only trying to make things right again for you. ”
“Did you ever think of asking me how you could do that? Did my wants and needs ever enter into the equation at all?”
“Of course they d id, Evan. ”
“Really? Because all I ever wanted after that mess was a sincere apology, which you apparently were unwilling to give me, and so terrified by the idea of it, and of us, that you ran away from me. I had no idea if you were ever coming back, and then we got the news that Winters had you and they were torturing you. Ian said. . . he said you were out of your mind, and do you have any idea how I felt?”
“But Evan, of course, I’d come back. I was coming back when those Hunters got me. I was sort of distracted, you know, and I wasn’t paying attention. I ran right into them. ”
Evan simply stared at him saying nothing for a long moment. “I was so worried about you,” he said softly. “I thought you stayed away on purpose. ”
